Human rights and languages of indigenous peoples

The World Council of Churches has addressed the issue of the rights of IndigenousPeoples since the 1980s. It has monitored and supported the work of the specialworking group on Indigenous Peoples within the United Nations system includingthe drafting process of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights ofIndigenous Peoples.

The World Council of Churches remains committed to the Declaration on theRights of Indigenous Peoples that represents the minimum standards for the survivalof Indigenous Peoples with dignity. The WCC Central Committee Statementin Geneva, July 1982, appealed to member churches, amongst others, to listenand learn from the Indigenous Peoples in order to deepen Christian understandingof (and solidarity with) their legal rights, their political situations, their culturalachievements and aspirations and their spiritual convictions. It further calledon the churches to become politically involved on the side of the IndigenousPeoples and join the struggle against those powers and principalities which seekto deny the land rights and human rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The Seventh WCC Assembly Statement in Canberra, 1991, on Indigenous Peoplesand Land Rights called upon member churches to move beyond words to action,specifically: to negotiate with Indigenous Peoples to ascertain how lands takenunjustly from them by churches can be returned; to recognize, acknowledge andvigorously support the right of self determination and sovereignty of the IndigenousPeoples, and to use their influence with governments and international bodiesactively to seek the goal of justice through sovereignty and self-determination ofIndigenous Peoples.

While the Council, over the years, has addressed various aspects relating to therights of the Indigenous Peoples it has not spoken clearly on the issue of theirlanguages.

The World Council of Churches is aware of its responsibility to care for humanlife and is concerned by the global phenomena of loss of the world's languages.According to the figures put out by UNESCO, on average one of the world's languagesis lost every two weeks. It is estimated that up to 90 percent of the world's6,700 languages will become extinct by the end of the century. Indigenous languagescarry critical knowledge about how to maintain bio-diversity in the givenplace of the community and thus can provide means to sustain life on the planet.Increasingly, scholars are recognizing the critical link between linguistic diversityand bio-diversity acknowledging an analogous relationship between the two.

The mission history of the churches has many ambiguities, one of which is in relationto Indigenous Peoples' languages. In many instances Bible translation hashelped to preserve and develop indigenous language, while in others the policyof the use of colonial language has had an adverse impact.

There is a need to revitalize the world's indigenous languages with respect to thecultural, intellectual and spiritual diversity of humankind. These languages carrya storehouse of indigenous knowledge, accrued and refined over millennia - knowledgeessential for understanding local ecosystems, medicinal use of plants, specializedagronomies and careful adaptations to regional environments.

In view of the need to protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly theirlanguages, the WCC Central Committee meeting in Geneva, February 15-22,2005, reiterates its support for the right of self-determination and sovereignty ofIndigenous Peoples as they are defined in church and society and calls upon memberchurches:

- to urge the establishment of a UN International Year of Indigenous Languagesin 2006 or a subsequent year;

- to appeal to their governments to remove discriminatory laws againstindigenous languages, to work towards removing the layers of educationaland social pressures arrayed against indigenous languages, and to activelypursue compliance with international conventions and treaties that regardthe use of the language of heritage as a basic human right;

- to challenge NGOs and foundations concerned with indigenous issues toraise as the highest priority the need to protect the global linguistic diversitythrough offering funding and structural support as communities aroundthe world seek to keep alive the heart of their ancient traditions throughtheir Indigenous languages;

- to remind churches and the Christian community of the diversity of spokenlanguages as a sign of the presence of the fullness of the Spirit of Godin Acts 2 and the full diversity of languages as an integral part of the visionof worship in the presence of God in Revelation 7:9;

- to continue to support language-based services and activities, especiallyscripture translation with member societies of the United Bible Societywhich is currently translating into 500 to 600 languages, providing animportant catalyst for language stabilization and development;

- toencourage reflection on their role and possible complicity in patterns ofcultural repression through boarding schools for indigenous children orother agencies and processes;

- to request churches to consider practical ways in which they can respondto this world-wide crisis, calling attention to the critical issue of languageloss and working towards remedies both in their local areas and at internationallevel;

- to call on member states of the United Nations to resolve their outstandingdifferences and disagreements to pave the way for the signing of theUnited Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples whichspecifically protects indigenous language rights;

- to call also on all states with indigenous populations to sign and ratify theILO's 1989 Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention No. 169 which includesindigenous language rights in Articles 28 and 30.